Recent automotive and truck industry trends have placed increased importance on the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions of the internal combustion engine. One method of reducing fuel consumption is to optimize air intake and exhaust into the cylinders through incorporation of discrete valve profiles. Current axial cam shifting systems are limited to two discrete positions and thus two discrete valve lift profiles offering two valve lift functions. A two position system allows a simple actuation system that only needs to translate the axial shifting components to either a front or a rear position. Mechanical stops can be designed into the system to stop the components in the correct positions for positive axial location. While the current systems are satisfactory for their intended purpose it is desirable to provide more than two discrete valve lift profiles to further optimize the valve system for a given application and operating condition.